Lid brace



May 22, 1923.

L. GRAUMAN LID BRACE Filed April 5, 1922 I N VEN TOR.

Patented May 22, 1923.

LEON GRAUMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

LID BRACE.

Application filed April 5, 1922. Serial No. 549,827.

To all whom it may com-61m,

Be it known that I, LEON GRAUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lid Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to braces for the support of lids or covers of receptacles in an open position, and its primary object is to provide an adjustable device of very simple construction which when fastened at a side of a receptacle, is capable of supporting the lid thereof in a substantially upright p'ositi0n.

When used in connection with the cooling chamber or ice cream cabinet of a soda fountain, my invention provides a ready means to maintain the removable lid in an open position, upon the edge of the rear wall thereof, and thereby eliminates the troublesome and unsanitary practice of removing the lid entirely from its receptacle and placing it on a counter, floor or other temporary support.

Additional advantages of theuse of my improved brace reside in that the weight of the open cover aids in holding the brace in its adjusted position, in that the lid in the open position, prevents dirt or articles on the counter of a soda fountain, from falling into the ice cream cabinet and screens the contents of the receptacle from persons seated in front of the counter, and in that the application of the invention does not require its attachment to the cover which is necessary, may be removed'from the receptacle as before.

An embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the several views of which'like parts are correspondingly designated and in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the cooling chamber of a soda fountain showing my invention inits operative ppsition with relation to the open lid' therei Figure 2, a transverse section taken on the line 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3, an enlarged view of the brace in its retracted position, looking toward the side thereof which in practice faces the side of the box to which it is attached;

Figure 4, a similar view of the brace in its operative position looking toward the outer side thereof;

Figure 5, an edge view of the parts illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 6, a cross-section taken on the line 6--6, Figure 4:; and

Figure 7 a fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of the lid and the therewith engaging upper part of the movable member of the brace, drawn to a larger scale.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 designates the cooling chamber of a soda fountain and 3 the removable lid or cover which normally closes the open top thereof.

The brace which holds the lid in the open position, shown in Figures 1 and 2, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a longitudinally channeled openended keeper 4 which by means of laterally projecting, apertured lugs 5 is in practice,

fastened to a side wall of the receptacle. we The channel has in one of its longitudinal edges, an upwardly tapering recess 6 the ends of which extend at substantially right angles to said edge to provide shoulders 7 and 8 for the engagement of a correspondingly formed part of the adjustable member of the device, as will hereinafter be described.

The keeper is attached at a side of the receptacle adjacent the rear wall thereof, in a forwardly slanting position and with the recessed edge of its channel uppermost as indicated in FigureQ.

The open upper end of the keeper is slightly below the upper edge of the side wallto which it is fastened, so that in practice, the adjustable member of the device may be extended beyond said edge to engage with the open lid or cover, as shown in the drawings. a

The lugs 15 at the side of the keeper adjoining the side wall of the chamber, are dissimilar in length in order to determine the proper slant of the attachment by engagement with said wall, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The movable member hereinbefore re ferred to, consists of a bar 9 which in length corresponds with the keeper and which is slidably fitted in the channel of the same.

The bar has in its edge adjoining the recessed edge of the channel, an enlongated notch 10 which tapers from its upper, end. inwardly to a distance from its opposite end which corresponds w th the lengthof the recess.

The end of the notch is at an angle to the 7 edge of the bar, in correspondence with that of the shoulder 8 atthe upper end of the recess, and the bar is thus provided with a narrow elongated foot 12 which may enter into the recess by lateral movement of the member when it is in its extended position as shown in Figures 4 and 5. a

The bar has at its upper end a head 13 which is adapted to engage the lid in the open position without marring the surface thereof, and which when the bar is retracted inside the keeper, tightly closes the upper end of the same to prevent of brine or other liquid entering the channel and interfering with the operation of the device.

Itis desirablethat the lid in its open position should be substantially vertical and that at the same time it bears upon the upper end of the bar so as to lock it in its'extended position by maintaining the foot 12' in the recess of the keeper. 7 a

With this object in view, I provide thelid with abeveled abutment piece l4: which engages the head of the bar as best shown in Figure "7 Q'fthe drawings, in a plane cor- I responding withthe slant of'the bar.

It will be seen thatafter the lid is placed in the open positionby moving it about its reafwtrd edge, the member 9 if partially withdrawn from its keeper, will naturally fall into its locked position when the foot.

12 at its lower end, comes in register with the re s a The lid engagin with the head of the member ,s hereinb fore described, holds the member by its weight, against accidental displacement and the lid is thus securely held in the open position until the movable member of, the brace is returned to its original position in which thehead at its upper end, rests on top of the'keeper. 1

t It will be apparent that only long and v ordinarily a single brace atone end of the the hereunto appendedclaims,

, chamber is sufficient.

tions in the construction, and arrangement, of theparts thereof may be availed of withfromthe lid andadjustable on thereoepta-n What I claim and desire to, secure ter's Patent is:

l. A brace Letof the character described,

comprising a channeled keeper'open at its upper end, and a bar longitudinally slidable therein, the channel. of the keeper having a reeessin one of its edges, and thebar having etits corresponding edge, a ot adep ed to-enter Sai recess whenthe bareigtends partially nutsi e f the keeper through th opening at the upper end thereof.

position. a 7

8- The comb na th: ptacl ha 2.; A brace of. the characterdescribed, comprising a channeled keeper open at its I upper end, and a bar longitudinally slidable therein, the bar having in one of its edges,

upper end, and a bar longitudially slidable therein, the bar having in one of itsedges, a notch slanting inwardly from its upper end and, forming a foot at its opposite end, andthe channel of the keeper having in its corresponding edge, a tapering recess. adapt- ,7 ed to receive said foot when the bar extends partially outside of the keeperthrough the opening at the upper end thereof. 4., A br c f the ha a te desc ibe comprising a channeled keeper open at its pp nd, a a he ded er o g tud na ly sl'ida the ei lh av ng it ne it edges, a notch slanting inwardly from 7 its upper end and forming a foot at its opposite .e d', nd the chan o t ei per h'avinsr g i its q r ppnding edge, a recess dap to receive said foot when the barextends Parti l y ut e th e per h i -ighth opening at th uppe d'ithereef;

5. The'combination with a receptacle'ihe vnt; a mo a l l d or cover, of. a brace o ju tja leaposi-t en n wh ch it lie eg iee th lower portion of h dl e'th epeh. p siti n, a d m ans -ope at ve with thelowerportion Of sa d'me nhe to loekit i its adjusted position. I t V I 6. The combin tion witharece heavy lids require the use of braces at oppoa p V site ends of the receptacle to hold it in the open position as shown in Figure 1, and that ng a le ahle lid o cover, of a brace t0 supp t h li in anrop n position; .cnh nrishia a memb f e it h id and adj l to a position in which it lies against the lowerportion of the lid in a slanting position, and. means cooperative with the lower portionof said member to hold it in-its adjusted position bythe weight of thelid. t l 7. The combination with a receptacle hav- -1 to par ia y e tend thro gh t ebnehi thereof, against the lower portion ofv the lid in an open position, and means on the receptacle co-operating with the lower portion of the bar, to holdit in its. adjusted ing a movable; lid -or cover, of a bar free thereof, against the lower-portion suppor he lid in hopien pos tion, c0m-' p ising a m m er ree from th .litl' ah adem he end a iustehl n h recept l y to pa tial y ext n throug he op nin in a slanting position, and means on the receptacle co-operatlng With the lower. por

tion of the bar, to lock it in its adjusted position by the Weight of the lid.

9. A brace of the character described comprising a channeled keeper open at its upper end, and a bar longitudinally slidable therein, the keeper and the bar having cooperating means to hold the latter in a predetermiined partially Withdrawn position, and the bar having a head adapted to close the upper end of the keeper in its retracted position.

10. A brace of the character described comprising a channeled keeper open at its upper end and having at one side laterally projecting lugs of dissimilar length to determine its slanting position by engage ment with the Wall of a receptacle in which it is fastened, and a bar longitudinally slidable in the keeper, said keeper and said bar having co-operating means to hold the latter in a predetermined partially Withdrawn position.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable lid therefor, having a beveled abutment surface, and a brace comprising a slanting member movable to a position in Which it engages the abutment surface of the lid When the lid is in the open position, and means cooperating with the member to lock it in its adjusted position by the Weight of the lid.

12. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, a movable lid therefor, having a beveled abutment surface, and a brace comprising a member slanting in a plane substantially parallel to that of the abutment surface when the lid is in a determinate open position, and adapted to engage With said sur-' face, and means co-operating with the member to lock it in its adjusted position by the Weight of the lid.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

LEON GRAUMAN. 

